Bound to Earth

5: Slightly Above Average

I had never shit this much in my life. And to think, most creatures ate twice as much food as I had been eating. Their poor bowels. They should thank me when I remove them.

Shitting wasn't worth keeping up the facade of being human, there was no pleasure in it.

"What's wrong, Beautiful?" Valentino glanced between me and my plate of food.

I could not stomach any more food. And if I had to eat it, I'd throw it up later. "I'm not hungry." My stomach was already full with alcohol.

Alistar, Brynjar, and Malachi were roaming the streets, hunting unfortunate souls. They'd be back with more food or supplies from their house. Not once have they spent a night away from here, despite sleeping on the floor or couch. 

Valentino still held the spare room, but no one would share a bed with him. It was rumored he hogged the blanks and sprawled across the entire bed.

Despite having an entire bed to himself, Valentino appeared more tired with each passing day. He was the one staying behind with me more frequently while the rest hunted. "You haven't eaten anything all day."

I wondered when the last time he fed was. "And you? You're not eating either."

He frowned. "I can survive a few weeks, even months, without feeding but you can't."

"You've used your powers every time you went on a job, you need to eat." I was never allowed to go with them. One always stayed behind to keep me company, though. Malachi usually ignored me.

His diet worked similar to mine. Physical food was for pleasure only, we needed energy from others to fuel ourselves. The more we used our powers, the more we'd need to feed. And he needed sexual energy. "It's fine, eat your food."

"You should feed tonight. The club is open until one am." My lungs burned as I exhaled the words. But he needed to eat, and I wouldn't be selfish. I already made it clear they were free to do as they please since I wasn't interested.

"I'm fine." He pushed my plate closer to me.

"No. We can go down right now if you want. That way you'd still be keeping an eye on me." I stood, ready to drag him.

"I don't want to feed right now," he sighed.

"Why? Are you concerned that I'll think less of you because you need sex to live?" This time, I did tug him out of his chair. "I really don't mind." I did mind. While I don't care about his diet, I'd die a little inside watching him fuck another girl.

"Token, no." He rarely used my name, I was always Beautiful. "I don't want any of them."

I stopped, dropping his hand. "Why not?"

"Because I only want you. I wake up and your scent is everywhere, it's intoxicating. And when you walk out of your room every morning, hair a beautiful tangled mess, I wish it was me who messed it up. But you're not ready, and that's okay. I can wait for you." He dropped back down in the seat, rubbing the ink bracelets on his wrists. 

Fuck my life.

He did that occasionally, when he was lost in thought or stressed. Or he'd tidy my house, even if it was already clean.

He was right, I wasn't ready to give what he needed but . . . "A kiss."

He looked at me frowning. "What?"

I could do no strings attached, hopefully. "Would a kiss be enough?"

"Token, you're drunk. I don't need anything from you." Yes he did.

"I'm not drunk. And you didn't answer my question." I stood next to him. "Would a kiss be enough?"

His throat bobbed. "It would. But if you're not ready, or don't want to, I don't need it."